Adventures of an Elf and Imperial
by Bernardascoffee
Summary: A High Elf and an Imperial get off a ship in Anvil, seeking fame and money-making opportunities.
1. Chapter 1

"I hate boats," Haldrenad said.  
>"Well, it was either that, or walking through all of Tamriel," explained Victius.<br>"I'm not sure which I would've chosen, had I been there to make the choice."  
>"I'm sure you would've chosen boat if you knew how much food would have cost."<br>"Speaking of costs, how much was this trip? Do we have anything left?"  
>Victius searched through his coin purse, and made a count of how many septims they had left. "Well, I think the average for most inns here in Anvil is... Ten septims per person? For three nights, we will have about forty septims left, which is enough for a single dinner for the two of us."<br>"Oh, stop with your mathmatics, you skeever, it gives me a headache," Haldrenad complained.  
>Haldrenad was a High Elf who originated from Summerset Isle, but his family was forced to move to Morrowind because he had accidently burnt down a building in a Daedra-related incident. Haldrenad had been getting educated in the Isles, but that ended in Morrowind, so he was under-educated.<br>"Of course it would, but you could get an education at the Arcane University, I hear that they offer that now-a-days," Victius explained.  
>"Oh, that'd sound like a great idea if we had any money," Haldrenad screamed.<br>"Calm down, I can get us money if I can find something at the right price and sell it higher."  
>"Where would you get that? Whisk it from the air?"<br>"No, we're going to steal it, but we have to figure out where to find it..."  
>Victius is an Imperial merchant who is quite the 'lucky' person. If someone tried to give him a bad price for something, he'd pay for the item, come back the next night, and ransack the place. Born and raised in Bravil, his skills are never out of practice.<br>"Steal it? Are you mad?! Do you realize this is a town full of pirates, so people will have their hands on their purses like it was their children in their very arms?"  
>"Of course I do, but we will just have to work around it. Now, start looking for a warehouse or something."<br>After a few moments of searching, the two came across the Anvil Docks Warehouse. The sun was going down, so they decided to deal with this in the morning. They entered the town walls, and walked over to the Count's Arms, the only inn in town offering beds.  
>As they walked in, the assumed-to-be proprietor looked up from the counter.<br>"Ah, some new customers! Welcome to the Count's Arms! Are you interested in a bed for the night? Or perhaps you're interested interested in someone to share that bed with? Hmm?"  
>The Redguard chuckled.<br>"You're not serious, right," Victius inquired.  
>"Oh, I'm serious. I've got a wide assortment of women and even-"<br>Before he could finish the sentence, Victius had him in a death grip, nearly pulling the Redguard over the counter.  
>"NEVER offer a man a human being as a sex thing again! You will NOT make another customer from over the counter!"<br>"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I-I just was trying to give those women some work!"  
>"How about you pay for them to go to a university instead!"<br>Victius let the Redguard go.  
>"Alright, now that's settled, we'd like a room."<br>Haldrenad tapped Victius on the shoulder. Victius turned around and noticed Haldrenad's unsatisfied face.  
>"I'm sorry, if we're going to get food for tonight and tomorrow, we're gonna have to share a room," Victius whispered.<br>"Fine, but try to get two beds."  
>Victius turned to the proprietor.<br>"I'll still go for the single room, but can we get two beds?"  
>"Sure, not a problem. The room is to your left at the top of the stairs. That'll be ten septims."<br>Victius dug into his coinpurse, counted to ten, and handed the red-skinned man the money.  
>"Thank you, enjoy your night," the Redguard suggested. "Hope they die in Oblivion," he mumbled under his breath.<br>Victius and Haldrenad marched up the stairs, and found their room. Haldrenad opened the door and groaned.  
>"Victius, there's one bed in here," Haldrenad complained.<br>"There is. I'll go talk to the proprietor in the morning, so deal with sleeping in the same bed with another bed for one night, alright?"  
>"Fine."<br>And with that, the two got into bed, and descended into a deep sleep.


	2. You Can't Escape Your Past

**Sorry about that long gap between the chapters, college has it's hands around my neck half the time and I've not much time for authoring (Is that even a word? Anyway, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

><p>Victius woke with a start. He had just had another nightmare, and he remembered it more clearly this time around.<p>

He checked off the things that could hold any significance in the dream. "An amulet, made of gold with a huge red crystal in the center, being carried off by a rat from the cold, dead hands of an emperor..."

Victius shook his head.

"It's just a dream," he told himself. But no matter how much he denied it, he _knew_ there was something big happening. Possibly with rewards, maybe it even leads up to his death...

He swallowed.

Vic turned his head to see a sound asleep Haldrenad (Who was hogging most of the blanket, which annoyed him.)

He gently shook him, but almost immediately awoke him.

"Wha...?" Haldrenad jumped up with a start, accidentally chucking himself out of the bed.

"By Mara's love, what do you think you're doing, Vic," Haldrenad shouted.

"Well, sorry about that, friend. I didn't think I'd scare you like that," Victius said, lying.

"I'm so very sure you are. Now, get out of bed, we've got many things to do today, including eating!" Haldrenad nearly skipped out the door.

"Hey, wait for me, you bloody elf!" Victius chased him out the door and down the stairs.

"Hey, would you two stop making so much noise?"

Both Victius and Haldrenad stopped and turned to a table to their right.

"Yes, you two."

The voice seemed to be coming from... Somebody under a hood. The person was rather large, but had a too high of a voice for someone of that size.

"Are you going to stare at me, or are you going to ask my name?"

Both men could at this point tell that this person was no man.

Victius spoke up.

"Well, _madam,_ may we ask of your name?"

The stranger stood up, pulled back her hood, and revealed a beautiful woman, clearly of Nord lineage.

"The name's Nura, and you must be Victius, am I correct," She said, pointing a finger at him.

Vic, confused, just stared at her.

Haldrenad spoke up. "Well, since my dear friend is clearly incapable of responding to a simple question, I, my fine lady, am Haldrenad."

He extended his hand out to her, to which she responded pulling out a dagger from her cloak, threatened.

He pulled his hand back slowly. He has dealt with bandits before and knew not to draw a blade when so late to the party.

Victius, however, had other ideas. Pulling out a blade from his boot, he ran up to the wo-

He was flat on his back before he knew it, blade out of hand, with a knife held up to his throat.

"Do you truly think you could get away from the Frozen Order for so long," Nura inquired loudly.

By now, every man and woman were on their feet, reaching for a blade or already had one in their hand.

A slow clap came from the door, where a man, bald and unshaven, stood.

In a deep tone, he praised the assassin (Or perhaps bounty hunter?)

"Very, very well done, my dear Nura. That would be enough. Now, please, let our friend off the floor, so that he may come quietly."

Victius looked about for Haldrenad, hoping for help. He was nowhere to be found.

Then he looked about him with a face of desparation, praying to Stendarr that perhaps one of the patrons would get him out of his situation.

As if Stendarr or perhaps all the Divines heard his prayers, almost half of the patrons jumped onto the bulky Nura.

In the commotion, the strange man slipped away, out into the street.

As this was all happening, Victius was thinking.

This was most likely the worst morning I've ever had the displeasure of waking up to.


End file.
